Looks beautiful but are you sure that was a whole brisket? I couldn't see anything that looked like a point cut. Looked much better than the pastrami I tried to make though, you have inspired me to give it another go.

Yes, James, I am persuaded that was a whole brisket. Though it was a little on the light side compared with some other briskets, I did observe a distinct layer of fat that separated two different tissues with different grain patterns. And the small section, which was on the right side of the pic, was marbled with fat. Perhaps it did not appear so obvious as I tried to remove as much of the topside visible fat as I could.

Can you tell me more of what it was that you were not as pleased with yours as you wanted it to be? Did you use a dry rub cure or a wet brine? Any details?

Actually brined my brisket last night - rinsed and changed my brine tonight - will let it brine now until Sunday night - rinse again - mix my pastrami rub and rub on Sunday night. Brisket is only a 4 1/2 lb.. flat so do not plan to put on the cooker until about noon on Monday Shortcutting the process due to time, but think I will be "good to go" by kickoff..

Did you separate the flat from the point? The pictures of the brisket with the rub on them looked like you didn't, but the pictures of the final result looked like you did.

You used a plastic roasting bag? I've been wanting to do a pastrami, but have always assumed you needed a traditional ceramic crock. Did you turn it from time to time, or turn the brisket so all of it soaked in the brine?